Wire-stretcher.



NIL-627,564. Patented lune 27, |899. E. YANKEE.

WIRE STRETCHER.

(Application led July 21, 1898.) (No Model.)

nuanifoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ELMER YANKEE, OF EBONY, TEXAS.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,564, dated June 27, 1899.

Application filed July 2l, 1898. Serial No. 686,519. (No model.) l

T0 all whom it mayconcerm'.

Be it known that I, ELMER YANKEE, a citizen of the United States, -residing at Ebony, in the county of Mills and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Wire-Stretcher, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for stretching the wires of barbed or other wire fences, the object being to provide a neat, simple, cheap, durable, powerful, and easilyoperable device for the purpose specified.

With this object in View my invention oonsists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and afterward particularly pointed out in the claim.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view illustrating a wire-stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention in position for practical operation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, the fence-post and the hook and chain for connecting the stretcher to it, as well asthe wire of the fence, being omitted. Fig. 3 isa detail perspective view of one of the clamps detached.

Like letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings -by letters, A A

indicate the standards, and A' the cross-bar connecting them, the whole forming a frame, in the upper ends of the standards of which is journaled a'shaft B. The shaft B passes through the standards and has a crank-hanldle B secured at one end. Between the 4 standards on the shaft are pivotal lly mounted the twoends of a U -shaped frame C, and upon 'fthe shaft between the ends of this frame are rigidly secured a plain wheel or disk D and- :a disk E, formed into a ratchet-wheel by providing it on its circumference with suitable rteeth E. A pawl F, pivoted to one arm of the U -shaped frame C, engages with .the teeth E' of the ratchet-Wheel E to prevent its move- D and the other end to the hub of the ratchetwheel E, the central portion of the chain carrying a link H, by means of which it is attached to the base or body of aclamp I, and

land the body, making said opening wedgeshaped. A longitudinal semicylindrical groove O extends from end to end of the upper face of the body L, and a clamp-lever P is pivoted to the body on the opposite side of the groove from that at which the hook M is located. A hook Q is also attached to the clamp J to engage in a chain loop R, adapted to be passed around a fence-post S.

The construction of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, and its operation may be described as follows: In the operation of stretching wires in building fences the chain loop R is passed around the post S, and the wire T to be stretched is secured in the clamp I by placing it in the groove O and turning the clamp- The wire as thus stretched can be secured to the post and the clamp I released therefrom and' secured upon the next lower wire, the loop R being slipped downward on the post S and the standards A A inclined as far as 4necessary to drop the shaft B and frame C to the proper level, when the operation may be repeated Vas before. The further repetition of the loperation will properly stretch and secure all the Wires of the fence.

In tightening up slack infences already built both clamps I and J may be secured IOO upon the same wire, when by operating the shaft and chains, as before stated, the wire between the clamps will be slacked, so that a loop maybe formed therein and the wire left properly stretched after the clamps are removed. To repair or splice a broken wire, one end will be secured in the clamp I, projecting through it toward the shaft, and the other end in the clamp J, also projecting as far as possible toward the shaft. By the manipulation of the shaft and chain, as before described, the two ends of the wire will be brought together and may be spliced or secured to each other in any desired manner, af ter whiehthe clamps may be removed therefrom. In taking the slack out of the wire of fences already built or splicingr broken Wires the hook Q and chain loop R will be unnecessary.

From the foregoing it will be readily observed that I have provided a cheap, simple, durable, and effective device which will carry out all of the objects of my invention, and while I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for carrying out my invention I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself to the exact details of construction shown, but hold that any slight changes or variations, such as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic, would be clearly comprehended Within the limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The Wire-clamp herein described, consisting of the base or body L provided with the longitudinal groove O, the hook M formed upon the body and projecting over the saine, its inner surface being inclined to form a wedge-shaped space between it and the body, and aclamp-lever pivoted to the body on the opposite side of the groove from that upon which the hook Mis formed, and adapted to be swung around into the Wedge-shaped space between the hook and the body, substantially as described.

ELMER YANKEE.

Witnesses:

FRANK ENNsoN, ANnRUss CRUMB. 

